Why weight matters when it comes to joint pain

Do you feel an occasional joint pain when you walk more than usual? Do you feel strain on your joints when you climb stairs? It obviously makes you worried. Your mind races and you might think this is the onset of something worse. One of the most prominent reasons for this pain is your weight. There are two major ways your weight induces pain and raises risk for osteoarthritis. One is, it puts additional stress on your knees. The other is the inflammatory factors associated with obesity can contribute to swelling in joints.

Being overweight or obese can increase the chances of having osteoarthritis. As osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of the joints, being overweight just makes the situation worse. It starts with mild strain or pain in the knees and gradually a time comes when you can’t even walk properly. There is an important relationship that your knees share with your weight. Let’s have a look at it.

Relationship between weight and knees

Imagine walking on a plain level field. The amount of force your knees are getting might be around 1.5 times your body weight. When you’re standing it is only your body weight but while walking the force increases. So an average 70 kg person is putting more than 100 kg weight on his knees when he’s walking. Now if the ground is inclined, the force increases. With the angle of the slope, it might go 2-3 times of the body weight or more. When you do leg exercises like squats or lunges, the force might be around 4-5 times of the body weight.

This is the kind of strain you’re putting on your knees during different activities. Now a healthy person has his weight in the normal range of BMI. His knees are made to absorb and tolerate the force he’s putting on his knees. When your weight exceeds the normal range, the strain on the knees also increases. When a person whose weight should be 70 kg weighs 100 kg, the force on his knees goes upto 150 kg. The knees might take it for a little time. But when you put your knees through this for a long time, they aren’t able to put up.

This is when the pain starts. And this pain leads to complications. Osteoarthritis is not very far away after this. Your knees are made to withstand the normal pressure. Not exceeding pressure. This excess weight shortens its lifespan. They are worn out way earlier than they should. In addition to this, the inflammatory factors also make the joints swollen and contribute to trouble in joints.

The simplest solution is maintaining a proper weight. If you do that, you are saved from a lifetime of pain. If your knees have started troubling you, you need to consult the experts in the field to guide you and treat you properly. At Radiance Hospitals, we have specialized doctors who have helped many patients with their knee pain. Contact us for knee pain now.